It made no sense to Iivor. None of this did. He’d heard of Salvos— the Archdemon of Envy wasn’t like his peers who had completely underestimated the Humans. Both Desidia and Gloria’s deaths were purely their own faults for being too careless.
But Iivor? He came in prepared. He studied all notable Human names. From the longtime adventurer Yves Virgil to even a newcomer like Salvos. As long as they were talked about, Iivor knew of their feats and their abilities.
Yet, here was Salvos, the Savior of Silvergrove, Death of the Destroyer, Liberator of the Plaguelands, and Secely’s Sentinel. She was stronger than the rumors suggested. She was far higher-leveled than Iivor had even heard. The yellow-skinned Demon was almost certain that Salvos was supposed to be a Level 135 [Rogue] wielding a kusarigama.
But none of his research turned out to be true. While she was still fast, she was a [Mage] not a [Rogue], was at Level 141 not at Level 135, and used a sword not a kusarigama. As a matter of fact, the baseless, exaggerated talks of Salvos’ powers that Iivor had dismissed as mere Human gossip was the only part of his research that was factually accurate.
After all, she’d just killed Desidia with a single swing of her sword.
undefinedIivor couldn’t comprehend it. While Desidia was probably the least valuable member of the seven Dukes and Duchesses summoned into the Mortal Realm, she was still incredibly strong, especially when powered by her Grand Skill. The very idea that a Human girl six levels beneath Desidia would win the fight was nearly impossible for him to process. What was even more ridiculous was the idea that Salvos could do it with a single slash.
But he couldn’t deny reality. Not when Salvos was standing before him, teeth bared, sword raised, having barely broken a sweat.
“Now, as I asked earlier: are you going to show me your Grand Skill too? Because… you’ll need it.”
The silver-haired girl twirled her sword and waited. Right now, she could’ve struck down Iivor in his lapse of focus. But she didn’t. Instead, she relished in his trepidation— in his disbelief.
He floated above her— over the broken courtyard before the palace of Alyras— hands trembling and teeth shaking. He wanted to fly away. To escape from this monster. But he remembered her words. It would be pointless, for she would hunt him down right there and then and kill him.
So Iivor didn’t move, frozen in fear.
“Salvos!”
A voice called out. Both the silver-haired girl and the yellow-skinned Demon faced the figures running out of the crumbling palace. It was Daniel, Edithe, and Hadrian. Amanda was there too, still unconscious, lying on Daniel’s back.
Edithe paused and glanced over at Iivor. She looked around for a moment, scanning the ravaged landscape before shaking her head.
“You actually beat Desidia… you’re really something else, aren’t you?”
“I’m not something else.”
Salvos gave her a thumbs-up.
“I’m Salvos—”
“Gotcha— [Wind Sickle]!”
Iivor lashed out as the silver-haired girl stood there with her guard down. She vanished entirely as the attack passed through nothing, before reappearing in the exact same spot with a blur. The Archdemon of Envy gritted his teeth. He hadn’t even seen her move this time. How did she do that? Just how was she so fast?
“This… this doesn’t make any sense. None of this makes sense!”
He flicked his fingers at her again and again, sending an onslaught of spells at Salvos.
“[Wind Blade]. [Wind Blade]. [Wind Blade]. [Wind Blade]. [Wind Blade]. [Wind Blade]!”
The Demon threw the last [Wind Blade] with all his might… even though that didn’t make a difference in his spellcasting ability. Salvos sidestepped around the flurry of [Wind Blades]. She barely looked like she was moving— as though her feet were planted on the ground the entire time.
It infuriated Iivor. Even if he could see her movements this time, it still defied all logic that she was that fast.
“How?”
He asked, as though that would give him an answer. He clasped his hands together, creating a tornado in his palms. He released it into the courtyard as it grew in size, picking up debris and rubble like it was nothing.
Edithe lost her balance, slipping and nearly being picked up by the strong wind. But Hadrian caught her. The pair managed to cling onto the earth as Daniel held onto Amanda. But they weren’t the targets of this [Cataclysmic Vortex].
It flew towards Salvos as a pair of glowing iridescent wings unfurled from her back. Like the blooming petals of a flower, with little specks of colorful embers flitting off like pollen in the spring.
She leapt into the air, letting herself be taken by the powerful gale, uncaring of the sharp winds cutting into her skin. The silver-haired girl ascended. A bright ball of light. A rainbow in the windstorm, breathing life into the dull gray air.
Iivor saw her soar through the [Cataclysmic Vortex], reaching for its center before climbing to its zenith. He looked on in disbelief as the iridescent aura around her shifted for a moment, overcome with a crimson glare. He heard a terrible roar. Saw the image of a massive claw. Salvos swung down, and so did the ethereal apparition.
In a single swipe, she dispersed the frenzied winds. Like the fire had burned the air itself. Eddying crimson flakes floated down around Iivor as he floated there, jaw hanging agape. He clenched his teeth and whispered.
“Just… how?”
Salvos descended before him, meeting his gaze. She tilted her head at him innocently.
“What’s wrong?”
“How are you so fast? How are you so strong?”
He sputtered, gesticulating wildly around him. The Archdemon of Envy pointed down at Daniel, voice clearly exasperated.
“With each casual swing of your blade, you deal more damage than even his empowered [Hero’s Slash]!”
The Human man sighed.
“Way to kick a man when he’s already down.”
Salvos just giggled. She turned to the [Hero] and spoke reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Daniel. I think that’s a compliment.”
Iivor narrowed his eyes as the silver-haired girl continued nonchalantly.
“After all, he’s saying your [Hero’s Slash] is comparable to the Sword of Alexander’s [Champion’s Slash].”
And that made everything click in Iivor’s mind. The Demon stared at the blade she was carrying. At the source of her strength. The reason why she was able to fight so well.
“Ah, I see now…”
“Are you being serious, Salvos? How’d you even get that?”
Daniel stared at her in shock. Edithe just snorted.
“Why are you even questioning that at this point?”
Salvos waved a hand dismissively.
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